Friday, October 29, 2010

In the beginning (most of us don’t remember) there were drawings of beautifully unrealistic women, in pastel colors, gracing the walls of your mechanic’s garage offices. Then photography took the place of pen & ink. And then we had pictures of ‘pretty girls’ holding speed parts, like a Mallory distributor, in a full-page prints in Hot Rod Magazine, circa 1949. That was as risqué as it got for Hot Rod.

OK, if you think of it… have you really, I mean really found any girl posing beside a car that sexy? I mean some are hot, but rarely super-hot, and never ultra-hot like Carmen Electra! For me, there has always been something odd about the women that pose with cars in magazines & hot rod shows. Is it just me?

Now don’t remind me about the 80’s, teased hair, swimsuit “models”, with wrist & headband, leaning over a Pro-Street Camaro. I checked, and it wasn’t hot. Maybe Farrah Fawcett, did it for you? Personally, she’s not my type. Big-Bird hair was never my thing. What was hot then, is only ehh at best today. Boy, things have changed.

OK, so stay with me here.

I never was looking to find a model I wanted to pose with my cars or even to write this posing until today. Then I found her!

Yes, I’m married, and very happily. Wendy understands this is shop talk --she’s cool like that.

So today I was looking for an old varsity jacket to buy on ebay, when I happened upon this lady modeling vintage clothing that she sells on ebay too. This is the woman I want to pose with my cars! But she doesn't know it yet. She's the "Sexy-Cool-Nerd", we all want to meet. You see it too!

OK, she isn’t ultra-hot, I'll say super-hot for sure. Look at her! I’ll bet she’s smart too. And not because of the glasses, she has a business. She's fully hot rod worthy if I have ever seen one. The clothes, the tattoos, the attitude! She's got that, "I don't care" sexiness is what sells today.

Here goes nothing: I would like to extend a personal invitation. Lady (I can't find your name anywhere), if you are ever in Hollywood please pose with my vintage hot rods. I even know a real professional photographer. It would be really, really awesome, I promise. I think this could be a great business move too. You can wear whatever you want –as long as you bring the glasses!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

I have received a personal request that I share some details about the Dayton Wire Wheels mounted on the hot rod… called ‘Daytons’. Fred wants to see how & what mounts them to the axles. I have to oblige him because I don’t get many requests. Actually this is my first --thank you Fred.

First a little history lesson:

"Founded in 1916, Dayton Wire Wheel was quick to establish itself as a premier designer and manufacturer of wire wheels. The company continues to design products today.

From the beginning, Dayton Wire Wheel set a high quality standard for the automotive industry. The Wright Brothers depended on Dayton Wire Wheel, Henry Ford chose Daytons, as did Charles Lindburg for the Spirit of St. Louis. Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg rode on Daytons, along with nearly thirty other makes. Dayton Wire Wheels were also put to the test for thirty years of racing in the Indianapolis 500. Many British and Italian sports car owners choose Daytons, and lowriders hop and dance on Daytons. Street rod designers and builders have discovered Daytons and Harley-Davidson owners ride on American Wire Wheels made by Dayton."

Earlier, I contacted Dayton Wire Wheels to see if the serial numbers stamped on the hubs could shed light on the exact age of the parts. Unfortunately, all records from this time period were lost, but they could tell that they were made previously to WWII. I also had the opportunity to speak with Pete Eastwood on an occasion. He’s an authority of vintage parts, and also a race car driver. Pete placed them from the late 30’s early 40’s era as well.

Once popular with most forms of racing, the particular wheel on my hot rod are today relegated only nostalgic or exhibition racing. And while Daytons made today serve as a novelty on customs and low riders, they are making a comeback in some street rod circles. In fact, the 2009 Detroit Autorama Ridler award winner, “Duecenberg” wore Daytons.

The only tool you need to mount & dismount a wheel is a lead hammer. Friction does the rest by keeping the cap on and thus the wheel. It also takes a little trust in 90-year-old technology. Three diameters of tooth patterns were manufactured, 6", 7", & 8". This car uses the 6" pattern.

You have to hammer the cap on until it no longer spins. Then re-tighten after 25 miles of driving. Right & left side caps spin on & off differently to prevent loosening while driving.

There was a lot of planning, some welding, and smidge of machining to mount the adapters to the 40’s ford drums. I may never know who did the actual work, but it looks to be sound craftsmanship. Perhaps it was Bill after all. The downside of having such cool wheels, is that the mounting adapters make it even harder to remove the brake drums then it is normally!

Finding replacement parts, like a caps for instance, would be nearly impossible. So extra care & handling has to be taken at every step.

Few people would do what it takes to adapt these wheels to a Ford today, that’s one of the reasons this car is so special.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Never did I think when starting this blog, I would have actually followers. The anniversary was actually two weeks ago. But I hadn’t notice until corresponding with Jared, or ‘McFly’ as he's known on the HAMB.

My original intention for writing was just a place fete my opinions for self-entertainment. And maybe a hot-rodder I didn’t know would read it, find it useful, or be mildly amused. But that is why every blog is written, right?

At first it was nothing special; I started it one day while bored at work. I didn’t have many subjects to write about, so I started with an introduction. Later, I used some of the discussions Ed Gallagher & I started in emails as a jumping off point for a post, like Power Plant Preference for instance. But now, the growing database (eyes rolling) is attracting more people every day. Basic Hot Rod Wiring, by far my most popular post, getting up to 20 search finds per day. Before that, I might get one view a day to the blog, maybe two. As a result, my Google search standing is higher.

My first was post was September 21, 2009.

Chapter II

October 30, 2009 --A simple Craigslist search while at work (I was bored that day) would change my life forever! The next morning I would be the owner of an actual “Survivor” hot rod (I have to thank my wife too). Owning a car like ‘Daytons’, is the once-in-a-lifetime experiences people talk about. It’s my honor to own this car --it felt more like a dream then reality taking the car home the first day. I hope to write more on the car that Bill Bair built, in future posts.

Overall, blog views are steadily going up. Obviously, actual tech articles are searched out more then opinion. So I’m planning some more tech. Soon you’ll be reading how I made my A-V8ers car club plaques from scratch --I poured 1250º aluminum in my backyard, it was thrilling!

Finally, the last thing I want to do is bore the reader of waste their time writing about stuff I do or opinions. So if you find any reason to add a comment or add your own opinions to my posts, please do, I welcome it, --questions too!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Whoa boy! What a day --Daytons & I had a great time. We met lots of new people and made a lot of chit-chat. Several buddies of Bill Bair were amazed & relieved that his car was around, and as they remembered it.
A friend of Bill's named Richard, told me that Bill told him, he bought the car in 1939. 1939! My jaw dropped to think bill owned the car for... 64 years! Which makes me wonder if that seemingly random old picture of plain Model A parked on the side of the road, is in fact Daytons before WWII. This is that picture:

Back to the show --The weather was fine with some fog earlier in the morning, the birds were out and so were hot rods! Super cars were there, as well as some super famous --as every year. Tom Branch and his gold '32, the Burbank Choppers club never miss it, and Chris Casny -- to which I was happy to finally be acquainted with. But I was most impressed by a couple of fresh hot rods at the show for the first time. Lucky Burton's Model A pick-up has a lot of real vintage parts. Including Weiand F.R. heads, intake, & fuel block, & big'n'little Firestone dirt track tires. I remember the gas tank spin-off cap, it was on the '27 T he once owned.

I was also captivated by this Ford track-T. I never met the owner, but I'll guess his middle name is 'Louver'. It's a little overboard with the holes, what is being vented in the doors? But the rest of the car was nice. Halibrand quick-change rear, Nerf bars on the radius arms, hand-made aluminum hood, deck lid & belly pan, Schroeder steering box, and a liberal use of tan leather throughout.

Jim Foltz and family came a little later, he parked right next to Daytons so we could compare our Long Beach leaded cowls.

Throttler's Picnic is the best, little show in town. Burbank once again proves it still is the 'heart' of hot rodding today, as it was 60 years ago.

Jealousy --just one way of describing my feelings. After just writing how much I would love to someday own one-of-a-few vintage Italmeccanica-Torino superchargers... but couldn't afford one. Who should drive into this weekends Throttler's show with one strapped to his flatty? Verne Hammond of the Burbank Choppers --o f c o u r s e!

Lovely piece of machinery, isn't it? As if the car weren't worth a load of cash before, he just upped the game 5 g's.

Verne had no trouble pronouncing 'Italmeccanica', it rolled off his tongue as if he were fluent in Italian --I had a little trouble. He mentioned early magazine write-ups saying the charger adds 75hp to a flathead at 8 psi. From way he tells it, I think Verne had a little difficult believing. But he does feel a noticeable difference compared to the naturally aspirated set up he had before, and I'd think he would. This is not a toaster we are talking about. Regardless of how it performs, it just looks right, as if it were made just for this car.

This is what Verne had one year ago, four pots on a Sharp intake:This is for you buddy, thumbs up! Wait... maybe it's envy?

E&J: Inside The Light

melt aluminum for casting

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About The Author

Born in Los Angeles in 1974, I still live within a mile of where I grew up. I didn’t come into vintage hot rods until my mid 20’s. But I’ve been a car enthusiast much longer. Mostly a tinkerer, I like to figure out how things work, and what stuff they are made of. Natural things intrigue me; I’d happily spend a whole day collecting rocks & driftwood at a beach, or looking into tide pools.
I’m happily married, and we’re currently saving to buy a house. I work in freelance TV & film art & props departments, I also own a Playstation3, and like to read magazines.